1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roll-like fixing-medium holding device and a liquid fixing apparatus fitted with the holding device.
2. Related Art
One of the conventional large printers is generally provided with a feeding unit for supplying, for example, a roll of recording paper as a recording medium, a recording unit for recording information on the roll paper supplied and a discharging unit for taking off the roll paper printed with the information in descending order. When such a large ink-jet printer is employed, the user puts the roll paper into the feeding unit and pulls out the front end portion of the roll paper. Then the user leads the front end portion of the roll paper outward along a flat feed guide that functions as a paper carrier face and puts the roll paper between a feed roller and a driven roller before starting the ink-jet printer.
While sending out the roll paper onto a flat platen that functions as a paper carrier guide face by rotating the feed roller, the ink-jet printer jets out ink drops from the nozzle tips of recording heads so as to record information on the roll paper. Further, the ink-jet printer discharges the roll paper via a flat discharge guide that functions as a paper carrier face with a taking-off roller being rotated.
When the roll paper is put into the feeding unit of the conventional ink-jet printer, a spindle is inserted into the hollow shaft portion of the roll paper and inserted thereinto first and a pair of flange-like roll paper supporting members are fitted to both end portions of the spindle. Further, both ends of the spindle are suspended by a pair of spindle receivers disposed in the feeding unit.
Roll paper having a hollow shaft portion of two inches in inner diameter and roll paper having a hollow shaft portion of three inches in inner diameter are usable in the ink-jet printer and special roll paper supporting members are to be used depending on the roll paper for use. Consequently, it has been troublesome to stock bulky roll paper supporting members under control.